The genes that in vertebrates establish the right and left sides of the body were thought to be of fairly recent origin, since fruit flies and nematodes don’t have them. A new study shows that snails do use the same genes as vertebrates, suggesting that these genes arose more than 500 million years ago in [...]
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Scientists are now studying the molecular underpinnings of cancer by probing individual bonds between an asbestos fiber and human cells. Though any clinical application is years away, the researchers hope their findings could aid in drug development efforts targeting illnesses caused by excessive exposure to asbestos, including the deadly cancer called mesothelioma.
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Scientists have found that a cheap and nontoxic sunburn and diaper rash preventative can be made to produce brilliant light best suited to the human eye. Physicists have discovered that adding sulfur to ultra-fine powders of commonplace zinc oxide at about 1,000 degrees centigrade allows the preparation to convert invisible ultraviolet light into a remarkably [...]
Prozac is regularly prescribed to ease the emotional pain of patients who are being treated for cancer. But can this common anti-depressant help to fight cancer itself?
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Scientists are looking to outer space for help in their attempt to prevent new outbreaks of the tropical disease schistosomiasis in southern China. Once the Three Gorges Dam is fully operational, researchers plan to use satellite data from space to determine whether changing water conditions in Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, create favorable conditions [...]
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Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? All these years, you’ve been trying to build up your child’s self-esteem, and now a growing body of research suggests you may be making a big mistake. A study published in Child Development finds that early adolescents with high self-esteem are more likely to react aggressively when they feel ashamed [...]
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Scientists have discovered a new method of protecting teeth from cavities by ultrafine polishing with silica nanoparticles.
Reducing the activity of a gene called FKBP12 in the brains of mice affected neuron-to-neuron communication (synapse) and increased both fearful memory and obsessive behavior, indicating the gene could provide a target for drugs to treat diseases such as autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disease and others, according to an article in the journal Neuron.
A new Chandra X-ray Observatory image of the Tarantula Nebula gives scientists a close-up view of the drama of star formation and evolution. The Tarantula, also known as 30 Doradus, is in one of the most active star-forming regions in a galaxy close to the Milky Way. Massive stars in 30 Doradus are producing intense [...]
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A pair of proteins may help explain why people with surgically removed colorectal cancer and who are overweight, physically inactive and follow a Western-pattern diet may have an increased risk of dying of the disease or other causes, scientists report.
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